Rasch - Historical Glimpses

There is a curious paradox about Rasch measurement. Ben Wright's
reminiscence of IOMW2 held in Perth in 1982 reminds me of it yet
again. Why has so much good work done over so many years by so many
dedicated, intelligent people been so ignored by the leaders of the
educational community? Utterly trivial and superficial attacks on
Rasch techniques are welcomed. Well developed, meticulous, Rasch-
based papers are mired for years in a swamp of nit-picking objections
by shallow-minded reviewers. The Ablex publication of Mark Wilson's
"Objective Measurement", Volume 1, and my own Sage book on "Rasch
Models for Measurement" suggest that ultimately the obfuscation of the
casuists will fail. Such cunctators cannot keep apart forever those
with a need for solutions and those who can provide them.

On a historical note, it is just 30 years since Douglas Edward Stone,
the first student in the MESA (Measurement, Evaluation and Statistical
Analysis) program at the University of Chicago obtained his 1962
doctorate. (I earned my doctorate in the same program in 1973).
Stone's dissertation, "A methodological approach to the analysis of
teacher behavior that reveals the stability of human characteristics",
includes insights even more relevant now in this era of authentic
assessment. On p. 64 he reminds us that "There is no easy or precise
way to determine the proper amount of [rater severity] adjustment for
all situations." This is a predicament from which we are still
endeavoring to extricate ourselves. But there is hope! A new
generation is joining the struggle. Doug's son, Gregory, is now
participating in the MESA program!

It only remains for me to congratulate my successor, Wim van der
Linden, as he succeeds to the Chair of the SIG.

Go to Institute for Objective Measurement Home Page.
The Rasch Measurement SIG (AERA) thanks the Institute for Objective Measurement for inviting the publication of Rasch Measurement Transactions on the Institute's website, www.rasch.org.